tongue ulcer misery

[Humly]

I have been suffering with a sore tongue off and on for the past 3 weeks. I thought I had just bitten it and it seemed to get a bit better after a few days but the past week has been no fun at all. I went to the dentist yesterday and he told me he could see ulcers down one side of my tongue and thinks I have been grinding my teeth. He gave me difflam oral rinse and told me to wear my mouth splint at night - I havent worn it for 2 and a half years and it doesnt fit properly now!

I am in quite a lot of pain with this every time my teeth touch my tongue, even swallowing hurts and I am thinking that surely things should be getting better after a week. How long do ulcers take to heal and what can I do to help?

[googler192]

I had an ulcer last for a month once and I went to my dentist and he said that they just depend on the placement of them. I use something called Iglu (from boots or lloyds pharmacy). It creates a thick barrier on the ulcer and allows it to heal quicker. Once I began using that they cleared up within a couple of days.

Hope that helps. Try not to worry. Happy thoughts.

X

[Humly]

Thank you. I've got some iglu and its ok but it doesnt seem to stay on for very long and ends up all over my teeth x

[googler192]

Yeah it's really not very pleasant stuff but it's always worked for me because my main problem always seems to be when I catch them with my teeth and that makes them worse. Hope they get better soon! X

[Humly]

Same here. Keep catching them with my teeth all the time and its so painful. Wonder if thats why they are not healing. x

[Humly]

Anyone heard of lysine helping to heal ulcers? Dont want to google too much because we all know what that does for you. I am desperately searching for something to help make this go away and my mind is as usual in overdrive thinking all sorts x

[hanshan]

When I had tongue ulcers in Australia, I found a preparation with benzalkonium chloride helped best. I don't know if similar is available where you are.

[Humly]

Thanks I'll have a look at that. I am basically going to throw everything I have at this. I've got some lysine tablets to take plus the difflam mouth rinse from the dentist and I am dabbing some corsodyl on with some cotton wool a few times a day as well as using the iglu gel. If I could only remove my teeth to stop them catching the side of my tongue all would be well, lol x

[hanshan]

I did a quick search and Boots Mouth Ulcer Pastilles have benzalkonium chloride, and are available without prescription in the UK. Good luck!

[Xanderboo]

salt water garglinbg worked for me!!

[Humly]

Thanks Hanshan and Xanderboo. I will get some pastilles from Boots when I next go to town. I also read somewhere that salt water and baking powder are good too so might try that as well. I never thought that simple ulcers could be so painful and last so long. Trying to be positive x

[GingerFish]

I have an ulcer on the side of my tongue at the mo too and its absolutely agony. Its a rare time that I don't have at least one ulcer somewhere in my mouth but they are usually near my throat, roof of mouth or inside of cheek. Tongue ulcers are the worst IMO.

I've been using Listerine and some numbing mouthwash the doc gave me a while back, brushing my teeth more often, taking strong painkillers and even drinking to try and numb the pain in my mouth but nothing helps, at least not for long.

I think the most important thing when you have an ulcer is to keep your mouth as clean as possible and that will make it heal quicker. Have you tried ulcer creams like Bonjela and Iglu? I find they work on other ulcers but because its hard to put the cream on the side of your tongue, it doesn't tend to work well for tongue ulcers. Gargling with salt water helps as it works as an antiseptic but again, the pain relief doesn't last too long but you at least know the bacteria around the ulcer are gone for a bit.

[Nervousmommy]

Could it be an allergy? I get them from eating walnuts and other really tannin-rich foods.

[Humly]

I dont think I have an allergy or else they would be all over my mouth. My dentist thinks its through grinding my teeth but I thought initially I had bitten my tongue. I am continuing with the mouthwashes and can now see the ulcers on the side of my tongue whereas before all I could see was redness. Hope that means that they are starting to heal now.

[Ryan92]

Hi Humly, wow there are some great suggestions and advice on here. I've had ulcers in my mouth and on my tongue for years and its such a pain (literally) sorry bad pun :doh: :wacko:

I've tried using iglu and bonjela but they take so long to relieve the pain and discomfort. I think mine started with biting the inside of my mouth and tongue, also having to wear braces and retainers.

I don't have any suggestions (sorry about that) but this thread is really helpful :)

[hanshan]

Lots of benzos here, but another ingredient that I have found helpful is benzocaine, which I think is found in Orajel.

If you blast those ulcers with a combination of Orajel and Boots pastilles, and they still don't get better ... well I think you may have exhausted the resources of non-prescription medicine.

[Humly]

Doesnt feel quite so bad this afternoon. Still going to get those pastilles from Boots though and being careful not to irritate things further x

[Humly]

An update. The ulcers cleared up nicely and the pain had gone but now I feel as if there is something on the side of my tongue. I've looked and cant see anything but my tongue feels a bit rough and every now and again I am catching my teeth on it. My mouth feels a bit dry so perhaps its that but my mind is starting to wander again and I am fighting the urge to consult Dr google. Being on high alert I am constantly aware of every little sensation in my mouth which is obviously making things seem worse than they are but my tongue feels weird x

[hanshan]

Good to hear the ulcers have gone (but they tend to reoccur, so it still may be an idea to get some OTC medication).

When my mouth is dry, my tongue feels rough. I guess this is normal. Keeping cool and drinking some cool to cold drinks may help.

[Humly]

Thank you. I am well prepared in case they happen again. Been back to dentist today and he says everything looks ok and that just as you mentioned when your mouth is dry your tongue feels rough. I think probably its always been like that but at the moment everything seems worse than it probably is x